1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tubular connectors, and more particularly to tubular connectors for use at underwater or other submerged locations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The production of oil and gas from offshore wells has grown into a major endeavor of the petroleum industry, and this growth had lead to the development of means for drilling, completing wells and recovering petroleum products from wells in deep-water locations where the use of divers is not practical. This has lead to the need of apparatus for connecting pipes together in deep-water locations and for the installation of mooring facilities for supply boats, marine tankers, etc., all without the use of divers.
The prior art underwater facilities employ connectors which are locked and released either by mechanical or hydraulic manipulation or by rotation of one portion of the connectors relative to the other portions. In deep-water locations the joining together of two portions of a connector by rotation is difficult and often impossible. The locking together of portions of a connector by hydraulic manipulation requires hydraulic lines extending from the ocean surface to the sea floor resulting in unreliable, uneconomical and bulky equipment which is difficult to handle, especially in the deeper subsea locations.
Other connectors are employed to secure a buoy or other floating surface facility to a base on the sea floor adjacent one or more subsea wells. The buoy can be used as a station for connection to a supply boat or to a marine tanker. At the deeper locations it is desirable to anchor the buoy by a chain extending between the buoy and a heavy concrete or metal base secured to the sea floor. It may also be desirable to disconnect the chain and buoy from the heavy base and to reconnect them at a later time. In such an installation it is not practical to use a rotary connector to secure the chain to the subsea base or to release the chain. What is needed is a connector having portions that can be stabbed together and secured in a locked position by the use of simple tension, and can be unlocked by the release of the tension.